I&#x27;m scared to eat, please help?

I'm had Emetophobia the extreme fear of being sick and others being sick. It has gotten so bad this past year I've been housebound but after a bad experience it has gotten worse. I've not eaten properly in months if much at all, then this past month the most I'll eat in a day is a couple of aero chocolate bars. I've developed a massive fear of eating for the obvious reasons. I get pains under my left rib, short sharp spasms throughout my stomach, in my chest, and even in my throat. I've also been getting a nauseated feeling in my central upper abdomen, as well as rumblings and gurglings, or even growlings at times. As soon as I eat something I'm in a state of anxiety, feeling really sick and full and it puts me off eating more. Are the symptoms above signs of anxiety or even hunger? i really want my mind put at rest as I'm petrified its a sign of illness! Also does anyone have any idea what I could do, I'm living off soft mints and chewing gum, I don't think this is good for me and I'm even finding it hard to swallow them. i don't know what to do or where the reassurance is I won't be ill!

EDUCATE yourself on the digestive system, also remember their are people out there without food (this is not a shame statement) this is a fact statement! EDUCATION, FACING THE FACTS. remember when we get ill, we HELP our body to be stronger! I really hope you have a Dr. because this is not a fear of eating, this is underlying issues.

You clearly don't understand how severe this phobia is or don't suffer from a phobia that is a true phobia if you can easily say something like this to me. I'm aware there are people out there without food but that isn't something I'm able to help is it? I'd love to help them if I could but this is something my mind has been made to see as a threat. It's absolutely petrifying to be emetophobic and it is hard to handle. You can't say to someone like me to face the facts thats like saying to someone with a phobia of spiders, face the facts your bigger than a spider and it won't harm you. It's like saying to someone with depression face the facts there are people out there dying and other people who are sad but don't end up like you. Unfortunately though this isn't the way life has turned out to be and you will get people with phobias, anxiety and depression, people who are battling there very own minds, you can't just tell them to face facts and educate themselves and expect it all to go away, thats very naive. Also I know a lot about the digestive system and I've been told that I've got Irritable Bowel Syndrome and I do have a very big fear of eating, so don't tell me that I don't. Thank you very much.

I had the same problem last year, I was scared to eat because I didn't want to be sick, but not eating was what made me feel sick. I went to a psychologist who made me realise that what I was doing was not good for me, and that the reason I was feeling sick was because I wasn't eating enough. It took a lot for me too start eating properly, but I am now healthy and doing a lot better. I rarely eat junk food because of my fear of getting sick. I still have a HUGE problem with people getting sick around me. Even when I hear someone cough it gives me a small panic attack because I think their gonna be sick, but I just keep telling myself that they're okay, they just have a little tickle in their throat, and that when I cough no one around me panic, so why should I? I know it's hard, but you just have to keep telling yourself that everything is okay, and that eating will make you feel better.

ps. I'm pretty sure what you're experiencing is anxiety caused by your fear, as it was the same for me.

YOu did not read my post, I am saying, yes you have a problem, now is not the time to beat around the bush, you want help, you need to work at it! educate yourself, and yes it is scary , but you have to face the issue no matter what it is even if its starting slow, sometimes , we only read what we want to read, I never once belittled your condition, but now is not the time to argue, this is my last post to you, because, I don't see from your reply, that you are willing to take advise as you asked. good day and I really wish you the best>

Thank you for your post. It's difficult to live in fear every single day and I'm hoping that it is just anxiety that I'm experiencing and with time it'll fade once more and I'll be free again until the next time it hits me hard. I'm glad to hear that you can stay calm and that you've done so well, well done. :) I hope all is well with you still and I'll keep your post in mind to keep reminding me that this anxiety an be overcome and I can start eating again. Thanks x

I'm sorry if that isn't what you meant but your message confused me a little bit and it did sound to me like you were just saying face the facts and get over it, I'm sorry if this is not what you meant and for misunderstanding. I guess it won't be as simple as that as if I face the facts it'll only scare me further. Sorry for the misunderstanding. x

No problem here! I really try to help people, if you look at my open Journals you will see, I was and have stilll been scared allot with my Panic/Anxiety, but all this work from my Dr. has been paying off and I just want to try help others and yes I am one of them people who usually never suger coats it, but I am working on that, be good, take care

Welcome to the Emetaphobia club. My own take on the condition is that it is an infant condition. By that I mean, that doctors don't know enough about it to know how to treat people with it. I also stopped eating because of it. Lost a lot of weight and ended up in hospital. I would count it as the third eating disorder. Think it should be treated like one too. The logic of an empty stomach means nothing to throw up is one we latch onto. I am afraid there is no miracle cure. It is one of those things that comes and goes. Have a word with your doctor about stemitil. Tablet that stops vomiting. I take it. I think it more eased the mind and got me back on track again. But the fear is always in the back of my mind.

I have had alot of stomach problems in this past year that whenever I would eat my insides would shake for hours. I went to my doc and finally gave into the endoscopy and colooscopy. I was certain that the way my stomach felt I had to have something horrible hiding in there. Well it showed only a mild irritation of the stomach. In the meantime my doc put me on 25mg of zoloft because I too suffer from health anxiety.After the zoloft kicked in my stomach never felt so great!! Also my anxiety is much less. Also I just found out I was diabetic and a low carb diet has done wonders for my mental and physical well being. My point is that I know how scared we can be of things but sometimes some simple tests or meds can do so much for you. I had alot of the gi symptoms that you have described and now they are gone. Go to the doc.It will probably be the best thing you ever do,but in the meantime God bless!!

Hi, I just wanted to comment to everyone suffering from this disorder, that I have been suffering from this since i was 4/5 years of age. The severity of my condition comes and goes and affects me daily. I hate the fact i overthink about what i can tolerate eating....when i can eat.....i have lost 8-10lbs in the past few months and im scared it will get to the point where im considered an anorexic (which im not bc i love food)
I sympathize with every person out there with a certain type of phobia....would be great if someone could help with this ....

I am currently in the same boat. I am up all night long with terrible stomach pains. I have lived off of breads mostly. I am so scared of getting sick - however not eating makes me feel like I am going to get sick all the time. It's to the point now that my stomach is better empty than with something in it. I am so afraid that I am going to have to go to the hospital so I can get proper nutrition. My finance is worried horribly about me... I am so scared - the phobia makes me a different person. Please let me know if you have figured something out since you posted this....
Any help would be better than feeling this way because honestly I can't imagine feeling this way for the rest of my life. I have to figure something out.

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